Machine for producing contoured wrapped packages



April 15, 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL 2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES 8 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed Dec. 6', 1949 April 15, 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL 2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec. 6,1949 8 Shets-Shefl 2 mug-u April 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL 2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec. 6.1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 J jZUe/ZzZfJ I April 15,1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETALMACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec. 6,1949 a Sheets-Sheet 4 i i l April 15, 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL 2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec. 6,1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 2/2 ZZZ 2/0 I miflwa/%ylfi@zszp 'April 15, 1958 F.E. ULLMANQ ETAL 2,

momma FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec. 6,1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 15, 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL 2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Original Filed Dec.6,1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 25/ vii 7 7 L W April 1958 F. E. ULLMAN ETAL2,830,417

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 mum mm J Original Filed Dec. 6, 1949 a\ QQ a 8 United States Patent MACHINEFOR PRODUCING CONTOURED WRAPPED PACKAGES Fred E. Ullman, Winnetka, andKing L. Klopfenstein, Arlington Heights, lll., assignors to TrianglePackage Machinery Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisContinuation of abandoned application Serial No.

131,326, December 6, 1949. This application Septemher 29, 1954, SerialNo. 459,048

Claims. (Cl. 53-226) This invention relates to improvements in machinefor producing contoured wrapped packages, and is a continuation of ourco-pending application Serial No. 131,326, filed December 6, 1949, nowabandoned.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with machines forproducing a package of the kind consisting of the desired content,either in unitary or mul tiple form, and a sheet of wrapping material ofan area greater than the surface area of the associated content and thecentral portion of which envelopes and follows generally the contour ofthe content and the margins of which are brought together as a masswhich is then consolidated to form a stem which projects outwardly fromits base on the package.

The prior art has suggested several methods of providing a wrappedpackage of this general order. One suggested method is to bring themargins of the wrapping material together and subject them to a twistingmotion. This method results in a package having a relatively thick stemof substantially uniform circular cross section.

Another suggested method'is to gather the margins of the wrappingmaterial together in nontwisted form but in which a thick stem of squarecross section is formed.

Both of the methods above referred to and the re sulting packages areopen to a number of objections. Certain materials suitable for wrappingare not well adapted to withstand twisting action and yet produce asatisfactory tight package. The package produced by both of the abovemethods have a relatively stiff thick stem not well adapted for closingby heat, pressure, stapling, gluing and the like.

Again, packages having such relatively thick stems are not well adaptedto packing in containers with other like packages because the thick stemis not well adapted to be folded over against the body of the packagewithout disrupting or tearing the material and alfecting the appearanceas well as the utility of the package. Nor are such thick stems welladapted to packing in containers with others, even though they could befolded over without disrupting the material, because they tend to formthick bulky masses of the sheeting material which would engage thesurfaces of adjacent packages and tend to prevent compact placement ofthe packages in the container. In connection with packages containingedible products, such as fruits, vegetables and the like, such thick,relatively stiff stems, whether folded over for compact arrangement in acontainer, or left in outstanding condition, are likely to damage theproduct in the adjacent packages or the package itself when packed in acontainer, unless provided with adequate separators or other packingmaterial which would hold the various packages in spaced relation.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved machinefor producing a wrapped package of the type to which reference has beenmade, and by which ice the production is facilitated and the packagestructure improved.

Again it is an object of the invention to provide a machine wherewiththe improved method may be practiced.

The means for attaining the above mentioned objects of the invention, aswell as others, together with the many advantages thereof, will morefully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of that side of the improved machine, atwhich the operator is positioned.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the wrappingstation of the machine as taken on the line 22 and on a scale enlargedover that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal detail sectional view through a part of themachine as taken on the line 33 and on the scale of Fig. 2 andillustrates structure of an open ended basket for yieldingly holding anarticle in position during a wrapping operation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine, between theupper and lower frames thereof, as

, the wrapping station of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a transverse detail sectional view through one of the yieldingarticle holding pockets in the turret of the machine, when disposed inarticle receiving position, as taken on the line 66 and on a scalegreater than that of Fig. 5 and shows an article as placed within thepocket from above, by the operator and yieldably supported in thepocket, to be ejected downwardly and outwardly from said pocket when thesame reaches the wrapping station of the machine, as will later appear.

Fig. 7 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of certain of the partsat the wrapping station appearing in Fig. 2 and illustrates moreparticularly the position of an article being wrapped, in associationwith a previously wrapped article, as being yieldably supported at saidstation.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the wrapping Igaterlial feedingmeans at the upper right hand end of Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic viewshowing more particularly the mechanism for imparting reciprocatingmotion to the carriages and sets of gathering plates movable with saidcarriages.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal detail sectional view through a certainpressure link embodied in the carriage moving mechanism of Fig. 9, on anenlarged scale, which link will be described in more detail later.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one of a number of gathering platesembodied in the machine, which will be more particularly referred tolater.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the reciprocating carriages and associatedgathering plates when said carriages are at the ends of their outwardstrokes and the gathering plates are in their widest open position andillustrates in the wavy line thereon the formation that marginal partsof a wrapper sheet take, when said sheet and article being wrapped havebeen depressed into the supporting basket, as appears in Fig. 7.

Fig. 13 is a view on an enlarged scale of fragments of the gatheringplates when their supporting carriages have been moved to a positiontoward each other and wherein the opening formed by said plates haschanged its shape and has partially gathered the margins of the wrappingmaterial into an approximately rectangular the carriages which supportsaid plates.

Fig. 14 is a view of parts in Fig. 12 on an enlarged scale, when saidcarriages have been moved further toward each other from the position ofFig. 13 and nearer toward closed position and have transformed theclangated shape of the margins being formed into a 'mass which issubstantially square in shape.

Fig. 15 is a detail fragmentary view in plan of the associated ends ofthe pressure jaws when in their closed position and have changed theshape of the mass formed by the gathered together margins of thewrapping material into a serpentine cross sectional shape which has awidth more than ten times its thickness.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view illustrating the pressure jaws of themachine and certain parts carried by the jaws.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a portion of a wrapped package producedby the machine and illustrates more particularly the solid sealed andtrimmed stem or fin thereof formed by portions of the wrapping material,which is more than ten times as wide as it is thick.

Fig. 18 is a horizontal sectional view through the stem or seal as takenon the line 18-18 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a view in elevation of portions of the package appearing inFig. 17 and more particularly shows the appearance of the stem or finviewed from one of the ends thereof.

Fig. 20 is a vertical section view through the stem or fin andassociated parts of the wrapped package, as taken on the line 20-20 ofFig. 17.

Fig. 21 is a longitudinal detail vertical section view through partsappearing in Fig. 12 as taken on the line 21-21 thereof.

Fig. 22 is a view of a timing diagram illustrating graphically more thana complete cycle of the movement of the parts of the machine in carryingout a wrapping operation.

In general the improved machine includes a suitable frame, at one end ofwhich is a table or top plate having an opening at a place therein whichis termed, for convenience, the wrapping station." At the other end ofthe frame is located a mechanism whereby sections or lengths of wrappingmaterial are cut from a supply roll and fed by belts along the top plateinto operative position relative to the wrapping station.

At the wrapping station end and toward one side of the frame is mounteda turret which carries a plurality of yieldable pockets or holders, eachto receive an article unit to be wrapped. Suitable means are associatedwith the turret to rotate the same step by step, with a dwelltherebetween when each holder arrives in operative relation to theloading station. The article unit, which is placed in each pocket orholder at a point to one side of the wrapping station, may constitute asingle item, or such unit may consist of a number of items.

Whena loaded turret pocket reaches the wrapping station, the contentarticle or item to be wrapped, is disposed above and centrally withrespect to the sheet of wrapping material at said station, previouslycut from a supply roll. At said station, below the table or top, islocated means yieldingly to support the package at least during part ofthe wrapping operation.

Means are provided for depressing the content article to be wrapped,when the same has been positioned at the wrapping station. Other meanscause the wrapping of the sheet material around the content article tobe wrapped and the formation of a fin-like stem closure for the package.Means are also provided to sever the excess material waste of thewrapper sheet and other means are provided to remove the waste material.

The various means all function in proper timed relation so that when themachine is in operation it is only necessary that there be deposited ineach pocket of the turret the content or items to be wrapped, theremainder 1e .4 of the operation of the machine being entirelyautomatic. While not shown, if desired, means may also be provided todeposit the content articles or items to be wrapped in the pockets ofthe turret.

If, for any reason, a turret pocket arrives at the wrapping stationwithout a content article or item therein, all that happens is that thesheet of wrapping material, then positioned at the wrapping station, ispushed through the pocket or holder and discharged as waste.

When a wrapped item passes out of the wrapping station, it is deliveredto a moving conveyor for discharge from the machine for packing withother wrapped packages in crates, cartons and the like for shipment orstorage, as the case may be.

It is believed that this general statement of operation will be helpfulin understanding the operation of the method and machine illustrated inthe appended drawings.

Referring now in detail to the structure of a machine capable ofcarrying out the improved method of forming a wrapped package, inaccordance with the invention, said machine includes a suitablerectangular frame, in this instance composed of fabricated structuralmembers, suitably secured together. However, cast frame members may beused in building the frame, if so desired.

Said frame is composed of pairs of upper and lower longitudinal sidemembers 20 and 21 respectively, upper and lower front and reartransverse end members 22-23 respectively, which frame members areoperatively secured together by and to the upright front and rear cornerlegs 24 and 25 respectively. The front legs 24 terminate at their topends in the planes of the top edges of the frame members 20 and 22 andthe rear legs 25 have parts 26 which extend a suitable distance abovesaid top edges of said frame members 20 and 22. Said frame furtherincludes pairs of upper and lower inter-. mediate longitudinal framemembers 27 and 28 respectively, which best appear in Fig. 2. The members27 are disposed in a plane below that of the upper frame members 20 andthe members 28 are disposed in the plane of the lower frame members 21.These members 27-28 are fastened at their ends to the transverse endmembers 22 and 23 respectively.

The upper and lower longitudinal side members 20 and 21 on the same sideof the frame are further secured members 29, arranged closer to thefront legs 24 of the frame than the rear legs 25. The intermediatelongitudinal frame members 27-28, on the same side of the longitudinalcenter of the frame, are connected together by upright journal plates31-31 arranged near the rear legs 25. Extending upwardly from the rearends of the upper longitudinal frame members 20-20 and secured theretoand to the rear leg extension 26-26 are other upright journal plates32-32.

35 indicates the main drive shaft of the machine, which extendstransversely of the frame and is suitably journalled intermediate itsends in the plates 31-31. The driving motor, which is of the gear headtype, is indicated at 36, and it is mounted upon a base 36a (see Fig. l)which is attached to the pair of lower intermediate longitudinalframemembers 28-28. The output shaft of said motor carries a friction clutchand sprocket 37 which, through a sprocket chain 38, drives sprocket 39on the main drive shaft. The sprocket 39 has a considerably largerdiameter than the sprocket 37 to complete the desired drive ratio forthe shaft 35.

Fixed to the drive shaft 35, one on each side of one of the framemembers 28 are cam discs 40 and 41 respectively, the latter beingarranged toward one of the longitudinal side members 21. Also fixed tothis drive shaft, between the sprockets 39 and the other longitudinalside members 21'are sprockets 42 and 43 respectively, the purpose ofwhich will appear later. The cam grooves 40a and 41a of the cams 40-41face outwardly in opposite directions.

On the front end of the frame so far described, and fixed to parts ofthe pair of upper longitudinal frame members 20-20 and one of the uppertransverse frame members 22, is a smooth flat table plate or top 45. Onthe longitudinal center line of the frame, where intersected by atransverse line passing centrally between the pairs of frame uprights 30and the center of a hollow post 155, is located a circular opening 46which is defined by a downturned flange, as best appears inFig. 2. Thisopening defines the entrance into the wrapping station of the machinewhich is indicated as a whole by the numeral 47, in Fig. 2. It is atthis station where a flat sheet of wrapping material is transformed intoenveloping relation about the item being wrapped, with a margin thereofformed into a consolidated fin or stem, as will latter appear. The rearend of said table is spaced a short distance forwardly of the upperjournal plates 32.

Disposed tlatwise upon the table, one on each side of the opening 46 andextending longitudinally of the table or top are relatively wide belts50-50. At the front end of the table, the associated belts pass aboutpairs of idler rollers 51-52 and at the rear end of the table said beltspass about rollers 53-54. The rollers 54 are mounted upon a suitablyjournalled cross shaft 55, which constitutes the drive shaft for bothbelts 50-50. The shaft 55 is provided at one end with a driving sprocket56 (see Fig. which will be more fully referred to later.

The rear leg extensions 26-26 provide supports for pairs of upper andlower brackets 60-60 in which are removably journalled the ends of apair of upper and lower shafts 61-61 each of which carries a supply ofwrapping material in the form of a roll 62. Each bracket has pivotedthereto a weighted lever 63 for frictionally engaging the associated endof a shaft 61 to prevent it from overrunning in the pull of the materialfrom the roll, in the feed of a length of said material to the wrappingstation, as will later appear. These parts appear best in Fig. l.

Only the material from one roll 62 is used in the operation of themachine at a given time. When said roll is exhausted the other roll isready in place for a threading of its material through the machine sothat little time is lost when a roll becomes exhausted. When the freeend of the material of the second roll has been threaded through themachine, the exhausted roll may be replaced by a new roll.

Thematerial of said roll has a width approximating the distance betweenthe outer edges of the laps of the belts 58 on the table. This materialmaybe of the transparent film type of which there are various kindssensitive to combined heat and pressure.

Extending between and suitably journalled at their ends in the plates 32is a plurality of pairs of associated transverse shafts 65-66-67-68, 69and 78 respectively. The shafts 65-66 carry a metering roll 71 and apresser roll 72 respectively, which peripherally engage each other. Theends of the shaft 66 which extend through elongated openings (not shown)in said plates, are engaged in spring pressed journals 73, whereby theroll 72, carried by said shaft, is pressed or yieldingly urged intoperipheral engagement with the metering roll 71.

The shaft 67 carries a plurality of laterally spaced discs 75, in theperiphery of each of which is a cut out step and in said steps of all ofthe discs is fixed a blade 76, which best appears in Fig.8. Theperipheries of said discs mentioned are in slightly spaced relation tothe periphery of a cutter roll 77 on the shaft 68 and in said roll 77 isa longtiudinal slit 77a to coact with the blade mentioned in the cuttingof the wrapping material as will later appear. The shaft 67, has a gear80 on one end thereof, which meshes wtih a smaller gear 81 on the shaft68 (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) so the drive between saidshafts is such that the peripheral speed of the The shafts 65, 6'7 and70 carry spockets 90, 91 and 92 respectively at one end, which areengaged by a chain 93, which chain also passes about an idler sprocket94 (see Fig. 1). Thus the drive to the shafts and is from the shaft 67,which in turn is driven by the gears -81 from the shaft 68. With thedrive mentioned, the peripheral speed of the puller roll 88 is somewhatfaster (approximately 10%) than that of the metering roll 71 and thedifference in speed causes the rolls 87-88 to exert a pull on thematerial after it leaves the metering roll. Said material is thustensioned and kept free from wrinkles and puckers. Once the tension isestablished in the sheet material, roll 88 slips sutficiently tomaintain tension without adversely stretching the material. The materialbeing under tension also enables a clean cut to be made.

In threading the material from one of the rolls 62, through the machine,a strip 95 of said material (see Fig. 8) is led between the meteringroll 71 and its associated presser roll 72 and then is guided by pairsof fingers 96 between the cutter roll 77 and guide discs 75. From saidlast mentioned roll and disc the strip is directed by guide fingers 87and from there passes under a guiding hold down roll 98 (see Fig. 8)which guides the strip down into a flatwise position upon the rear endof the top lap of the belts 58-59 at a point between the rollers 53-54.As before mentioned, the shaft 56 for the roller 54 is provided at oneend with a sprocket pinion 56 (see Fig. 5) and this pinion is driven bya chain 99 from a sprocket 100 on the associated end of the puller rollshaft 70.

As the strip passes between the roll 77 and associated discs 75, alength is cut from the strip each time the blade 76 enters theassociated slit or groove 77a and this length is then guided by the roll98 into engagement with the top laps of the belts 50. The length ofmaterial is indicated by the numeral in Fig. 5. It is to be noted thatthe length of sheet 105 of wrapping material rides with its lateralmargins engaged upon the belts which carry it toward and positions thesame in operative relation to the wrapping station 47 with the centralportion of said length covering the opening .46 in the table.

(see Fig. 2) indicates an upright shaft located adjacent one of theupper longitudinal members 20 of the frame in that transverse plane ofthe frame that passes through the axis of the opening 46 in the table45. This shaft is journalled in'a part of a bracket 111 secured to saidframe, which bracket includes laterally inward extensions .112 and 113at the top and bottom respectively. Fixed in the extension 112 is asecond upright shaft 114 upon which is journalled a Geneva disc 115 withwhich the I turret 116 of the machine is associated. Said turret, whichis disposed a suitable distance above the table or top 45, includes acircular topplate 117 having a depending marginal flange 118. Thecentral portion of said top plate 117 of the turret is operativelysecured to the Geneva disc 115 so that when said disc is rotated step bystep or intermittently, the turret moves therewith. -As best appears indotted lines in Fig. 5, said disc has five channels and associated withsaid disc is a lever 119 that includes oppositely disposed arms eachcarrying a roller 119a for engagement in said channels. Said lever isfixed to a top end part of the upright shaft 110 that extends above therolls is the same. The shaft 68 is provided at one end 7. top end of thebracket 111. The bottom end of said 7 shaft, below the bracket portion113 has a sprocket 120 attached thereto.

Journalled in said bracket portion 113 is a short horizontally disposedshaft 121 which carries a bevel pinion 122 at its outer end, that mesheswith a similar pinion 123 on the upright shaft 110. A sprocket 124 isfixed to the inner end of said horizontal shaft and it is constantlydnven from the main shaft 35 by a chain 125 (see Fig. l) trainedaboutthe sprocket 43 on said shaft. From the structure above described,it is obvious that the upright shaft 110 is constantly driven from thedrive shaft 35. The purpose of the sprocket 120 on the bottom end of theshaft 110 will appear later.

In the top plate 117 of the turret are five circular openings 130 andthe centers thereof are disposed 72 apart on a circle concentric withthe axis of the shaft 114 and of such a diameter that a part of saidcircle passes through the axis of the opening 46 in the table, whichopening forms the inlet for the wrapping station 47. The diameter ofeach opening 130 in the turret top is approximately.

the same as that of the inlet opening 46 for the wrapping station.

Each opening 130 in the turret top constitutes the inlet for anassociated article holding pocket 131 best shown in Fig. 3. This pocketis defined by upright rows of radial bunches of bristles 132, the outerends of each bunch of bristles in each row being secured in a back 133which can be made of wood, plastic or other suitable material. Thearrangement of the bristles in the various pockets is best shown in Fig.5. These bristles are relatively long and their inner ends define acenter opening in each pocket of a diameter less than that of thearticle being wrapped. They are stiff enough to support the articlebeing wrapped. but flexible enough to yield when the article is presseddownwardly. The operators station is adjacent that part of the turret atthe bottom of Fig. and it is from this station that the operator feedsor places an article, such for example as a head of lettuce 135 (seeFig. 6) into the pocket. As the head of lettuce is placed in each pocket131, it will deflect the bristles therein downwardly so that they allcoact to yieldingly hold and support the head of lettuce in said pocket,in such a manner that it may be pushed clear through the same when thatparticular pocket reaches and is positioned coincident with the wrappingstation.

It is important that the article 135 be not pressed too far down intothe pocket, say to the plane of the table or top 45, because if thisoccurs the article would engage the edge of the sheet material as itapproaches the same in the intermittent movement of the turret, withresulting malfunction. Therefore, there is provided an arcuatesupporting plate 136 that is positioned in a horizontal plane a shortdistance above the top of the table and beneath the turret. This plate,which appears in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, has a width approximating thediameter of each opening 130 in the turret and it has an arcuate lengthgreater than the arcuate length between three of said pockets. Itstrailing end, considered in the direction of the movement of the turret,terminates short of the opening 46 in the table 45.

Thus should the article 135 be pushed too far into a pocket 131, it willengage the supporting plate 136 and be limited thereby. Hence, when itleaves the trailing end of said plate, it will be moved into a positionabove the opening 46 in the table top and above the sheet of wrappingmaterial 105 covering said opening.

In the rotation of the turret, there is a dwell each time one of ispockets has reached the wrapping station position and this dwell is socalculated as to afford sufficient time for the item being wrapped andassociated wrapping material sheet, at said station, to be depresseddownwardly of said station into an open ended article receiving means140 at said station.

In the specific illustration is means in the form of a basketconstituted by upright rows of bunches of bristles 141, with the bunchesof bristles in each upright row fastened to a back 142. Each row ofbristles has a length greater than the rows of bristles in the turretpockets 131 bers 27 of the machine frame, by means of angle bar-likemembers that best appear in Fig. 2.

When one of the turret pockets 131, with an article 135, in thisinstance a lettuce head, arrives and stops in line with the tableopening 46, it is disposed in a position above the sheet 105 of wrappingmaterial and then the head is depressed downwardly, first to engage thecentral portion of said wrapper sheet to carry the same downwardly withit into the open top end of the basket 140. This depressing action isproduced by a vertically reciprocating plunger and is substantiallyinstantaneous. The plunger is thus able to reach a retracted positionand yet provide sufficient time at said station to complete the wrappingoperation, all in a short period of time.

The plunger mentioned is indicated as a whole at and it includes avertical rack bar 151 that carries a plunger cup 152 at its bottom endfor engagement with the item to be wrapped. The rack bar has slidingguided bearing in a head 153 disposed in line with but at an elevationconsiderably above that of the table opening'46.

When this plunger is in its retracted position shown in Fig.

2, its cup is disposed above the turret.

The head is supported by laterally spaced side plates 154 fixed toopposite sides of a hollow upright post 155, at one side of the frame intransverse alignment with the axis of the turret as provided by theshaft 114. This post, which is open along its lower inner side isfastened to the frame by the members 29, before mentioned.

Carried in the head 153 and spaced from but parallel with the rack bar151 is a second rack bar 156 which extends from the lower edge of theplates 154 to the bottom end of the head. The teeth of both rack barsface each other but are laterally spaced far enough apart to receivebetween them a pinion 157 in meshing engagement with both rack bars.

Supported between the pair of plates 154 is a short shaft 158, uponwhich is rockably mounted a walking beam lever 159. One arm 159a of thislever extends into the upper end of the post while the other arm 15% ofsaid lever extends into the head 153. The free end of the last mentionedarm has pivoted thereto the upper end of a pair of links 160 and thebottom end of said links carries a cross pin 161, upon which the pinion157 is journalled between said links. The parts above mentioned bestappear in Fig. 2.

The free end of the lever arm 159a is pivotally connected at 162 to theupper end of a connecting rod 163 located within the post and the bottomend of said rod is pivotally connected at 164 to the free end of theload arm 165a of a walking beam lever 165, which best appears in Fig. 4.This lever is mounted for rocking movement on a short transverse shaft166, supported by upright brackets 167 rising from two of the lowerlongitudinals 21 and 28 of the frame on the same side thereof. The powerarm of said lever is indicated at 165b and it carries a roller 168 atits free end, which rides in the groove 41a in the cam disc 41, theshape of which best appears in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

It is obvious that in the rocking movement of the lever 165 as impartedthereto by the cam disc 41, a

reciprocating motion is imparted to the connecting rod 163, which inturn rocks the lever 159 about the shaft 158 as an axis and this in turnimparts a reciprocating 75 movement to the links 160. In this movementof the links, the pinion 157 moves therewith while meshing with thestationary rack bar 156 and the movable one of the plunger. This causesthe plunger rack bar to move twice as fast and far as the movement ofthe pinion. Thus a long fast movement is imparted to the rack bar of theplunger compared to the movement of the pinion.

In the downward stroke of the plunger cup 152, it will first engage thearticle to be wrapped, disposed 'in the turret pocket 130, now at saidstation and will push the article downwardly into engagement with thecentral portion of the wrapper sheet 105 covering the table opening 46and 'will carry said sheet downwardly therewith. In this'movement of thearticle and wrapper, they will jointly engage the top ends of thevertical rows of bristles 141 in the.basket 140 and will deflect themdownwardly. However, because of their resiliency said bristles willyieldingly support the article (and wrapper sheet) now to be operatedupon, in a position wherein the central portion of the wrapper sheet isswept into contoured engagement with the bottom peripheral surface ofthe article, with the margins M thereof directed upwardly as loose foldsto a point approximately even with and above the table top, as bestappears in Fig. 7.

After the completion of the wrapping operation at the wrapping station47, as later described, the wrapped article is ejected from the basket140 and is then re-' moved from the machine to a place where it may beconveniently packed in cases, boxes or crates, according to thecharacter of the article being wrapped.

One convenient form of wrapped article removing means may consist of atravelling belt 170, which travels about the roller 171 located adjacentthe motor 36. This roller has a shaft, the ends of which are journalledin brackets 172 that extend upwardly from the lower longitudinal framemembers 28-28. These brackets also serve to support the rear ends ofside guide plates 173 for the belt, which extends forwardly from saidbracket as best appears in Fig. 1. When a wrapped article has beenejected'from the basket 140, it drops to the upper lap of the belt 170,forwardly of the roller 171, and is carried by said belt lap out of themachine as a whole. In this drop of the package from the basket to thebelt, it is in no way injured because of the cushion action afforded bythe belt. The direction of movement of said belt is indicated by anarrow in Fig. 1. I

Arranged at the wrapping station and positioned between the table top 45and the basket 140 is a mechanism whereby the upstanding margins M ofthe wrapper sheet are then operated upon to complete the forming of thepackage.

This mechanism includes a pair of longitudinal rails 180, positionedabove the upper intermediate longitudinal frame members .27-27 and whichare fixed at their ends in supports 181 rising from said frame members.Each rail is fixed at its middle in a block 182, the upper portion 182awhich projects inwardly to a point beyond the inner face of said framemembers as best appears in Fig. 2. The blocks 182 are so disposed that avertical transverse plane extending through the centers of the blockswill include the vertical axis of the basket 140 and the axis of .theshaft 114 about which the turret rotates intermittently. The railsmemtioned are here shown asconstituted by pieces of circular shaftingand extend equal distances beyond opposite sides of said blocks.

185 and 186 (see Figs. 12, 13 and 14) indicate respectively a pair offront and rear carriages, which include pairs of end sleeves 187-188that have sliding guided movement on the rails 180 toward and away fromeach other through means later to be descirbed. Each carriage includes apair of vertically spaced upper and lower plates 18919tt (see Fig. 21)which are attached at their ends to saidsleeves. Mounted in the carriage185 midway between the rails 180 and between the plate thereof is aspring carriage sealer jaw 191 and mounted in the carriage 186 in asimilar fashion, is a pressure carriage sealer jaw 192. These jaws arein the form of flat bars which are wider than they are thick. The innerfacing ends of said jaws are provided with match.- ing verticalcorrugations 191a and 192a respectively. The inner end of the jaw 191carries a transverse back-up bar 195, the ends of which are formed withshoulders 195 (see Figs. 14 and 16) that have guided engagement with theside edges of said jaw. This block is held in place by a hold down bar196 which limits the rearward and upward movement of the back-up bar onthe associated jaw. Each shoulder of the back-up bar has a longitudinalhole 197 therein to receive a bolt 198 (see Figs. 12 and 14) thatthreads into a spacer 198a between the upper and lower plates of thecarriage 185. A spring 199 surrounds each bolt between the rear face ofa shoulder 195a and said spacer and these springs urge the backup bartoward the other carriage until limited by the engagement of saidshoulder with the heads of said bolts 198, as best appears in Fig. 14.The jaw 191 is pivoted to the carriage about a vertical axis, asindicated at 200 in Fig. 13. When the bar is in engagement with theboltvheads, as mentioned, its outer 1 face is disposed in a plane midwaybetween the ridges and valleys of the corrugations 191a of the jaw 191.

The jaw 192 is disposed between the plates of its carly, one of whichappears best in Fig. 11. Each, plate is made of thin metal and includesa straight longitudinal,

outer edge 207, a right angled end edge 208, a shorter straight inneredge 209 and a reversely curved inner edge comprising a rear end convexportion 210 and a front end concaved portion 211 so as to leave a narrowtip portion 212 at the front end. The plates are all of the shapedescribed, but the convexed edge portions 210 of the lower plates aremade on a shorter radius than the like edge portions of the upperplates, as best indicated by, the dotted lines in Fig. 12.

The edge portions 210 and 211 are made on substantial- I ly the sameradius and when said plates are in position on the associated carriages,the plates of one carriage overlap those of the other and are secured attheir outer ends to the carriage, as best appears in Fig. 12. The tipportion 212 of all of said plates slide in the blocks 182 that havegrooves in their inner faces to receive the same,

strokes, as in Fig. 12, which is the fully open position of saidgathering plates, then the tips 212 slightly overlap and the portions210 of said plates define throats 215 which are the narrowest at thepoint through which the line A passes. Said throats widen out ineachdirection therefrom longitudinally of the machine, as best appearsin Fig. 12. It is pointed out that when said plates are in their wideopen position the line A is substantially coincident with the plane ofthe inner corrugated end 191a of the jaw 191.

Fig. 9, which is on the order of a diagram, best shows the means wherebyreciprocating motion is. imparted to.

11 the carriages 185-186. At the rear end of the frame is a transverserockshaft 220 journalled at its ends in brackets 221 (see Fig. 4)extending rearwardly of the frame plates 31-31. A lever arm 222 ismounted on and extends forwardly from said shaft and its free endprojects forwardly of the plane of the drive shaft. Between its endsthis arm carries a roller 223 that is operatively engaged in the groove40a of the cam disc 40.

A second transverse rockshaft 225 is journalled at its ends in plates31. The axis of this shaft is disposed in the horizontal plane of thecarriage rail 180 and somewhat forwardly of the vertical plane in whichthe axis of the drive shaft 35 is located. Journalled on this shaft is apair of depending arms 226, from which extend links 227 connecting thebottom end of each arm with the sleeves 187 of the carriage 185. (SecFigs. 9 and l2.)

Also journalled on shaft 225 in the longitudinal median plane of themachine is an arm 230. Keyed to shaft 225 is an arm 231 and a pair ofarms226. Links 232-433 connect the free forward end of the lever 222 toarms 230 and 231. The arm 230 is longer than the arm 231 and the freeend of said arm has pivotcdthereto as at 234, one end of a springpressure link 235, the other end of which is pivotally connected to thecarriage 186 at 236.

The structure of said link best appears in Fig. l0. It includes acylinder 240 having an internal radial shoulder 241 toward that end, inwhich is threaded a plug 242. This plug carries an eyed bolt 243 whichaffords the pivotal connection 234 and on said bolt is a nut 244, bywhich the bolt may be adjusted longitudinally of the plug. A second plug245 slides in the other end of the cylinder and a relatively long bolt246 extends through th s plug. The rear end of the bolt 246 has a head247 therein that is normally engaged with that side of the shoulder 241facing the plug 242. A compression spring 248 surrounds that part of thebolt between the shoulder 241 and the plug 245. The front end of saidbolt is connected by-a union 249 to another eye bolt 250, which formsthe pivotal connection 236 with the carriage. On said bolt is threaded anut 251, which normally engages the associated end of the plug and a nut252 on the eye bolt normally engages one end of the union. The spring248 is a preloaded one but its stressmay be made heavier or lighter bymeans of adjustment of the nut 251. It is important that the distancebetween the pivotal points 234-236 remain constant after once properlyset. However, by means of the structure mentioned it is possible tochange the compression ot the spring 248 without affecting the distanceor overall length of said link.

Fig. 9 illustrates the sweep of the various pivotal points in theoperation of the machine. Tile pivotal point 234, as the carriage 186 ismovedby the link 235 toward closed position for the other carriage 185,moves up to point X which is just below the dot and dash line Y thatindicates the plane in which the axis of pivot 236 is located and whichis coincident with the axes of the rails 180. In the upward swing of thearm 230 to point X it functions through the link 235 to push thecarriage 186 inwardly toward the carriage 185. Prior to the finalshaping of the stem closure of the package this link functions as arigid link but as the final closure is being made and as the link 235and arm 230 straighten out, the spring 248 is placed under furthercompression to increase the pressure applied to the carriage 186.

After the margins M of the wrapper sheet have been consolidated into asolid masslike stem, as illustrated in Fig. 15, the stem is trimmed atthe top by the action of the knife 202 and bar 195 (see Fig. 16). Thewaste produced is then swept out of the zone of the sealing operation bythe following mechanism.

As best shown in Fig. 7 there is provided an upright constantly rotatingshaft 260 that is journalled in a sleeve 261 secured to a frame member27 just outside the plane of the outer longitudinal edges 207 of thegathering plates 12 on the same side of the machine. This shaft carriesa sprocket 262 on its bottom end which is driven by the sprocket 120 onthe upright shaft 110, as 'before mentioned. On the top end of the shaft260 is fixed a sweep arm 264 which is disposed in a plane between theupper gathering plates and the table 45, as best appears in Fig. 7. Inits sweeping movement, said arm swings over the axis of the basket 140and sweeps the trimmed waste away for a discharge from the associatedmechanism.

In the movement of the carriages toward each other, to what is calledthe closed position, the convexed rear portions 210 of the pair ofplates approach each other so that they coact to provide a transition inshape of the opening from substantially central circular shape with openend extensions (see Fig. 12) to the elongated sub stantially rectangularshape (see Fig. l3). That is to say as said pairs of plates moveinwardly the concaved edge portions of said plates start to gather themargins M of the wrapper sheet (see Fig. 7) inwardly and as the convexededge portions 210 of said pairs of plates approach each other theyproduce a transition in shape of the opening from substantially thecircular one of Fig. 12, to a substantially elongated rectangular one,longitudinally of the machine (as appears in Fig. 13) and wherein themargins are gathered into the mass M In the further inward movement ofsaid pairs of plates they approach the final part of their movement andthe convex portions of the now overlapped pairs of gathering plates, inconnection with the associated corrugated jaws 191-492 gather the mass Minto a mass M (see Fig. 14) which is substantially square in crosssection and with the convolutions of the mass more tightly packed thanin the mass M In the final movement of the carriages the jaws compressthe squared mass M into a stem or fin 170 for the package, which is atleast ten times wider than it is thick and in practice it is preferredthat the fin be twenty times as wide as it is thick.

.As the jaws approach the fully closed position shown in Fig.15, thespace to the left of the line AA in Fig. 14 widens out laterally andaffords a relief for the mass in a final closing of the jaws.

As the jaws 191 and 192 approach their final position, knife 202 engagesthe material of the nearly completed closure, cuts through it andcontacts the face of back-up bar 195. During the cutting action, orimmediately after the knife 202 contacts back-up bar 195, springs 199are compressed allowing back-up bar to move with the knife. During thisaction the final shaping and compression of the closure 170 takes place.When the pressure load imposed on the carriages exceeds that of theprecompression of spring 248 in link 235, further compression is imposedon spring 248. By these means a package closure can be formed under highpressure, whilst permitting the opcrative mechanism to move through afull cycle without danger of injury to such mechanism, even through thefinal thickness of the package closure may vary considerably, as will bethe case when closures are formed on packages of different sizes in thesame machine.

In order to obtain a tight wrap around the article. the wrappingmaterial is first primarily gathered in a direction transverse to themotion ofthe sealing jaws, and then held in approximately a fixedposition along two sides will be noted that the transverse gathering,before men tioned, has resulted in first gathering certain of the 13material general along transverse lines or hands 171T. This results indrawing the wrapping material tightly around the article along thegenerally transverse sides or portions.

As the jaws move from the almost closed position of Fig. 14 to the fullyclosed position of Fig. 15, the material of the wrapping sheet is pulledtightly toward the stem or fin and forms itself into two longitudinallydisposed bands 171L171L extending from opposite sides of the fin or stemand terminating at a plane toward the center of the package as appearsin Figs. 17 and 18.

By reason of the release of the mass M in its transition between thecross-sectional square shape shown in Fig. 14, to the finishedcorrugated or sinuous shape shown in Figs. 15 and 18, the material atthe lateral ends of the seal is puckered or drawn inwardly into the baseof the stem as folds or pleats and there terminate in a tuck space inthe finished package, indicated at 172 in Figs. 17 and 19.

By means of this method of gathering, it is possible to draw the wrappersheet into snug contoured engagemeat with the article being wrapped, toleave no substantial air gap or space therein and thus cause the articleto be tightly wrapped and a good, neat appearing wrap afiorded for thepackage.

To adjust for varying degrees of tightness of wrap, it is necessary onlytoadjust plunger 152 vertically so that its lowermost position bearsdifferent vertical relationships, with respect to the lower gatheringplates 206. The tightest wrap is obtained when the top of the articlebeing wrapped is just below these lower gathering plates when thegathering action takes place. Progressively looser wraps will beobtained by adjusting the plunger downwardly. I

As is obvious from Fig. 7, the basket 140 has a longer axial length thanthe diameter of the wrapped package.

' Therefore, a wrapped package may remain in the lower portion of thebasket to be pushed out of the bottom of the basket by wrapped packagesabove and formed in subsequent operations of the machine.

Fig. 22 is a view of a timing diagram illustrating graphically more thana complete cycle of the movement of the various parts of thespecificmachine illustrated for use in carrying out our invention. This diagramis predicated upon 360 degrees, being one revolution of the main driveshaft 35. The lines 300 are spaced apart in degrees as indicated by thenumerals 301. The various lines extend transversely of the degree linesand provide a plurality of panels 305, 306, 3.7, 308 and 309 in whichappear lines 31., 311, 312, 313 and 314 respectively, having relationone to the other and all as explained by the indicia at the left'handside of each panel.

The brush-sleeve construction used in the basket in the turret and atthe wrapping stationis highly satisfactory for medium weight and lightweightobjects which are of generally spherical shape, and not extremelyfragile. Where articles to be wrapped are of a nature which renders thisbrush-sleeve construction impractical, other methods of support at therespective stations may be used.

In the five turret stations, the articles may be held in pockets whichhave slidable bottoms, or holding clamps may be provided which open whena pocket reaches a.

dwell position at the wrapping station, or which open during dwell atthis station.

The yieldable support, illustrated as a brush-sleeve at the wrappingstation, may likewise bereplacedby a yieldable platform on which anarticle with its correspinding sheet of wrapping material may bedeposited. Such a platform may be operable by mechanism which wouldallow it to move yieldingly downward as the article and its sheet ofwrapping material move into the wrapping station. The mechanism may beprovided with releasable stops at proper positions for loading theplatform, wrapping the article, and/or discharging or removing thewrapped article from the platform. The operating mechanism may alsoprovide means for moving the platform up and/or down, and/or means fortilting or rotating the platform to slide or dump the wrapped articleoff bygravitational force. Additional mechanism may be provided forremoving the wrapped article from the platform, if desired.

Where the article to be wrapped is of suificient weight,- the platformmay be operable to allow the article and its ferent types of wrappingmaterial are used.

Where a heat-scalable wrapping material is employed, such asheat-sealing cellophane, the sealing jaws may be equipped with means forattaining and maintaining proper heat-sealing temperatures, and the finclosure may thereby be heat-sealed. Fig. 22 is a timing chart forthe'timing of a machine for making a heat-sealed fin closure.

In the use of almost any type of sheet wrapping material, the closuremay be maintained by use of one or more staples made of metal or othersatisfactory material. Where stapling is employed, one sealing jaw maybe made to act as the stapling anvil, while the'opposite jaw may includemeans for feeding and inserting one or more staples into the finclosure. Similarly the sealing jaws may be contoured so that one acts asa punch-like cutterand the other an anvil-folder so that one or moreslugs of the material in the seal 'may be cut and folded in such amanner as to act as staples in maintaining the closure. where crimpingalone is sufficient to maintain the closure and in such cases the jawsmaybe contoured for such crimping. In such applications, stapling,folding and/or' crimping, the carriages may be made to operate withoutdwell time, as necessary inheat sealing-and the productivity of themachine correspondingly increased.

Glue may be employed'as'a seal-maintaining medium.

Where glue is employed it may be applied to limited areas of both sidesof the wrapping sheet by means incorporated with the wrapper cutting andfeeding mechanism. Heated jaws may be employed to cause the glue I alshe seal-main raining medium, the spaces of the jawscontacting gluedwrapper may be made of material "repellent "to to set" faster andthereby obtain satisfact minimum of time. Where glue is used aglue'sothat glue will'not accumulate thereon.

Where a weldable wrapping material is employed.

as polyethyelene, a closure-making mechanism may'inelude means forwelding the fin closureto maintain the seal.

While in describing the invention we have referred in detail to theform, construction, arrangement andoperation of the various parts, thesame is to be considered only in the illustrative sense and we do not,therefore.

wish to be limited theerto except as may be specifically set forth inthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine of the kind described, a wrapping stav tion, means forsupporting a sheet of wrapping material"; at said station, depressingmeans at the wrapping statiom article supporting means arranged .belowsaid sheet for] yieldably supporting the article being wrappedafter said{I article and the central portion of said sheet are jointly depressedinto said article supporting means, with the central portion of saidsheet engaging about the bottom of the article and with marginal partsofthe sheet extending upwardly therefrom into a plane above'the top ofsaid article as loose folds, means for gathering the The method of Ymaintaining such a closure may vary widely where dif- Some wrappingmaterial may be employed 15 upper portions of said folds into aconvoluted mass while drawing the lower portions of said folds intocontoured engagement with the upper portion of said article, saidgathering means comprising two pairs of'plates having spaced apartfacing edges to provide slot-like openings at the ends and anintermediate central substantially circular opening, the said slot-likeopenings being intermediately constricted.

2. In a machine of the kind described, a wrapping station, means forsupporting a sheet of wrapping material at said station, depressingmeans at the wrapping station, articles supporting means arranged belowsaid sheet for yieldably supporting the article being wrapped after saidarticle and the central portion of said sheet are jointly depressed intosaid article supporting means, with the central portion of said sheetengaging about the bottom of thearticle and with marginal parts of thesheet extending'upwardly therefrom into a plane above the top of saidarticle as loose folds, means. for gathering the upper portions of saidfolds into a convoluted mass while drawing the lower portions of saidfolds into contoured engagement with the upper portion of said article,said gathering means comprising two pairs of plates having spaced apartfacing edges to provide slot-like openings at the ends and anintermediate central substantially circular opening, the said slot-likeopenings being intermediately constricted, and coacting means forapplying heat and pressure to said mass from opposite sides thereof tocompact the mass into a consolidated stem.

3. In a machine of the kind described, coacting carriages mounted forguided movement toward and away from each other between opened andclosed positions, wrapping material gathering means carried by eachcarriage, each gathering means including a pair of gathering plates,each having concaved and convexed inner active edge portions, with theconvexed portions of said edges for each pair of plates defining athroat portion that is narrower than the opening defined by theremainder of said edge portions, a presser jaw mounted for movement oneach carriage for applying pressure to wrapping material between themwhen said carriages are in the closed position, and coacting cuttermembers movable with said jaws for cutting said material in a plan'eabove that of said jaws.

4. In a machine of the kind described, coacting carriages mounted forguided movement toward and away from each other between opened andclosed positions, wrapping material gathering means carried by eachcarriage, each gathering means including a pair of gathering plates,each having concaved and convexed inner active edge portions, with theconvexed portions of said edges for each pair of plates defining athroat portion that is narrower than the opening defined by theremainder of said edge portions, a presser jaw mounted for movement oneach carriage [or applying pressure to wrapping material between-themwhen said carriages are in the closed position. and a member having aknife edge movable with one of said jaws. and a backing bar yieldablymounted on the other of said jaws and cooperating with said knife edgefor cutting said material in a plane above said jaws when said carriagesare in their closed position.

5. In a machine of the class described, a structure for gathering themargin of the wrapping material to form a closure for a wrapped packageand comprising two pairs of.platcs mounted for inward and outwardmovement, the plates of each pair having spaced apart facing edgeportions formed to coact with the like edge portions of the plates ofthe other pair to provide a central substantially circular opening whensaid plates have moved outwardly and each pair of plates having otheredge portions which coact to form a slot-like opening at each end ofsaid pairs of plates, said slot-like openings being constrictedintermediately of their ends.

6. In a machine of the kind described, a pair of pressure applying jawsmounted for guided movement toward a,eso,417

and away from each other between opened and closed po- Sitions, saidjaws having opposed pressure applying end surfaces, a knife membermounted on one of said jaws and having a cutting edge arrangedsubstantially parallel the end surface of said one of said jaws, a backup bar mounted on the other of said jaws for a yielding guided movementrelative to said jaw for cooperation with said cutting edge inperforming a cutting operation, as said jaws approach said closedposition.

7. In a machine of the class described, a structure for gathering themargin of the wrapping material to form a closure for a wrapped packageand comprising two pairs of plates mounted for inward and outwardmovement, the

I plates of each pair having spaced apart facing edge portions formed tocoact with the like edge portions of the plates of the other pair toprovide a central substantially circular opening when said plates havemoved outwardly and each pair of plates having other edge portions whichcoact to form a slot-like opening at each end of said pairs of plates,said slot-like openings being constricted intermediately of their ends.

8. In a contour wrapping apparatus, an article wrapping station,wrapping material gathering means associated with said station andincluding carriages having guided movement in opposite directions towardand away from said station, upper and lower pairs of gathering membersmovable with each carriage alternately from their outer opennongatheringposition to their inner 'closed gather position relative to saidstation, the gathering members of each pair having gathering edges soformed that when said upper and lower pairs of gathering members are insaid-nongathering position they coact to define an opening for thepassage therethrough into said station of the article to be wrappedalong with the central portion of the wrapping material while turningthe margin of said material upwardly about and above the sides of saidarticle, said edges of said upper and lower pairs of gathering membersas said carriages move toward said station and said closed positioncoacting to change the shape and reduce the area of said opening whilegathering the upturned margins of the wrapper sheet together as a massat a point on the article inwardly of its sides, and means movable withsaid carriages arranged between the gathering members of each pair onthe associated carriage and coacting with each other as said carriagesapproach each other in their movement'toward said station for compactingsaid mass to form a stem. I

9. In a contour wrapping apparatus, an article wrapping station,wrapping material gathering means associated with said station andincluding crrriages having guided movement in opposite directions towardand away from said station, a pair of gathering members movable witheach carriage alternately from their outer open nongathering position totheir inner closed gathering position relative to said station, thegathering members of each pair each having a reversely curved operativegathering edge and which edges of both pairs of gathering members, whensaid members are in said nongathering position, coact to define anopening for the passage therethrough into said station of the article tobe wrapped along with the central portion of the wrapping material whileturning the margins of said material upwardly about and above the sidesof said articles, said edges of said pairs of gathering members as saidcarriages move toward said station and said closed position coacting tochange the shape and reduce the area of said opening while gathering theupturned margins as a mass at a point on the article inwardly of itssides, and means movable with said carriages and arranged between thegathering member of each pair and coacting with each other as saidcarriages approach each other in their movement toward said station forcompacting said mass to form a stem.

10. In a contour wrapping apparatus, an article wrapping station,wrapping material gathering means associated with said station andincluding carriages having guided movement in opposite directions towardand away from said station, upper and lower sets of pairs of gatheringmembers movable with each carriage alternately from their outer opennongathering position to their inner closed gathering position relativeto said station, the gathering members of each pair having gatheringedges so formed that when said upper and lower pairs of gatheringmembers are in said nongathering position they coact to define anopening for the passage therethrough into said station of the article tobe wrapped along with the central portion of the wrapping material whileturning the margin of said material upwardly about and above the sidesof said article, said edges of said upper and lower sets of pairs ofgathering members as said carriages move toward said station and saidclosed position coacting to change the shape and reduce the area of saidopening while gathering the upturned margins of the wrapper sheettogether as a mass at a point on the article inwardly of its sides, andmeans positioned between the upper and lower sets of pairs of gatheringmembers, intermediate the sides of said pairs of gathering members andmovable therewith for compacting said mass to form a stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,200,365 Kempf Oct. 3, 1916 1,352,221 Reifsnyder Sept. 7, 19202,001,074 Stout May 14, 1935 2,009,241 Roberts July 23, 1935 2,070,736Johnson Feb. 16, 1937 2,533,738 Moore Dec. 12, 1950 2,554,841 Rumsey May29, 1951 2,622,380 Snyder Dec. 23, 1952 2,624,993 Robertson Jan. 13,1953 2,656,657 Bartle Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 616,757 GermanySept. 12, 1935

